


How The Petals Fall

by sIRoDDbALL



Category: BanG Dream! (Anime), BanG Dream! Girl's Band Party! (Video Game)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-02
Updated: 2020-05-02
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:08:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,720
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23970577
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sIRoDDbALL/pseuds/sIRoDDbALL
Summary: Sayo and Aya prepare for the new school year; the last one they'll have. They look back on their first year with different attitudes.
Relationships: Hikawa Sayo/Maruyama Aya
Comments: 5
Kudos: 53





	How The Petals Fall

**Author's Note:**

> I love Aya and I love Sayo. Thus I decided to spend a super long time on this... classes end rn plz. I never really know what to tags my stories with btw so they're always left at the minimum :p

Aya wiped her forehead with her handkerchief, looking at the two stacks before her. “Was that all the flyers, Eve-chan?”

“Yes!” The model shouted, entering with the last stack of papers. “Thank you for your help! I didn’t mean for so many copies to be printed.”

“No problem! I hope you get a bunch of new members! I know you’ll be a good senpai to them.” Aya looked at the three piles of flyers before them, all of Eve’s own design with the painted characters and signature doodle of a katana. It seemed just a little misleading, but Aya thought it was a charming touch regardless. 

She scratched the back of her head with an adorable blush.“Honestly, I’m a little nervous. But I’ll follow Aya-senpai’s example and do my very best!”

Aya laughed at that. “Aya-senpai? No need to exaggerate when I haven’t even done all that much.”

The finnish girl dove in for a hug, which would’ve crushed a lung if Aya wasn’t used to her strength already. It was just Chisato who still had trouble with sudden hugs, though even that was changing slowly. “Idol Shishou! You’re so modest; I still have a lot to learn.”

She hid her glee at the name with a playful swat on Eve’s hand. “J-Jeez, that’s even worse!” As the two continued to laugh, Aya felt truly at peace. She felt a small bubble of sentimental feelings grow deep within her, realizing that her time as a high school student would soon end. It felt like yesterday that she was only in her first year, hiding out in the washroom.

“...Ah, I forgot!” Eve tilted her head at the outburst. “I need to get to the gym right now. I was going down to help with the entrance ceremony.”

Eve loosened her hold, allowing Aya some breathing room. “Oh! I’m sorry for keeping you then.” 

“You don’t have to. It’ll be fine if I dash for it,” Aya said, patting the tall girl on her head and waved as she left the classroom. “See you later!”

“Ah, wait Aya-san!” Eve caught up to her friend before she got too far. “You left your handkerchief on the desk.”

“Whoops! Thanks-” Her breath hitched as she noticed the sun and stars on the piece of cloth. She hadn’t brought it to school or even carried it in over two years, but there it was before her. “...Ahaha,” she chuckled. “I’m so clumsy sometimes. Thank you, Eve-chan.”

Eve smiled all the same. “No problem. You should get going though!” Aya wondered what her reaction would be if she saw the name on it.

She dashed off through the halls, hoping that she would make it to the gym in time. Regardless of her frantic pace though, Aya took the time to appreciate the blur of pink sakura trees against the bright blue sky, clear as clear can be. 

“Maruyama-san!”

Aya darted her eyes to the front, bringing her face forward, only to be met with darkness and a sensation of firm and soft at once, if that was even possible.

“Honestly, this is why you shouldn’t run in the halls…” Apparently it was possible for that of Roselia’s guitarist.

“S-Sayo-chan!” Her face was on fire. Aya jerked her head back, not wanting to set the strict girl’s uniform ablaze. The calm and concerned expression on Sayo doused out the flames and Aya shakily pulled away from her hold. She briefly wondered why that one hug felt so different from all of Eve’s hugs. 

“So? Care to explain your need to go on a marathon in hallways?” Sayo asked, eyes running over her uniform for discrepancies. Aya was well accustomed to this and made sure that everything was to code, even if her skirt length is a few millimeters short.

“Ah, sorry about that.” Aya smoothed down her “I was running late to the gym so I kinda panicked a bit.”

Sayo put a hand under her chin, lost in thought. “Oh, yes I see. You were going to help the second years with the decorations, correct?” She nodded. “The students there already finished the job. They were waiting for you I believe, before they decided to take initiative.”

“Eh?! No way…” She leaned against the window sill, hoping that the serious person before her ignored how Aya slipped for a moment and almost fell to the ground. “I already made a post online about it the other day! What am I gonna say now? An idol helping with decorations would’ve been the perfect appeal chance.”

Sayo made no comment, not that Aya expected one when Sayo was largely unfamiliar with the subject. She would be surprised if Sayo even had any form of social media aside from messaging apps. 

“Did you run into trouble on the way? I can’t imagine you would let yourself be so late when you were so excited,” she questioned. Sayo slowly began to walk away, glancing in Aya’s direction. She took it as an invite to follow, and follow she did. The sluggish pace was maintained, though not bothering either girl.

“Not really any kind of trouble. I ran into Eve-chan on the way though, and I gave her a hand with some flyers. There were a lot more flyers than expected though…”

Sayo carefully observed the area, paying special attention to each passing bulletin board. The idol wondered why was Sayo going so overkill for today; it would look pretty intimidating to a first year if their senpai suddenly pulled out a ruler on a crooked poster. 

Still the conversation carried through. “For the kendo club, I presume. I recall her asking for permission about it.” Aya never failed to be impressed at how sharp and observant Sayo can be sometimes. She found more and more similarities with each passing day, and it was a good thing now. “I hope all goes well for her then.”

Aya chimed back into the conversation, smooth as butter. “O-Of course it will!” Much smoother than usual, that was certain at least. “It’s Eve-chan after all. She’s gonna be a really popular senpai I can feel it!”

“Perhaps. She is a model, so many of the new students would be fans.”

“Then it would be the same for Chisato-chan and you, right? You two are already very popular.”

“W-Well, I agree with what you said Shirasagi-san. She’s very easy to make conversation with.” Aya nodded enthusiastically, thinking about how approachable Chisato has gotten since they were first years themselves. “Though,” Sayo continued, “I don’t have much need for that kind of attention, positive or negative.” 

“Hehe, that’s just like you, Sayo-chan.”

There was a thoughtful pause in their exchange, the sun gently reflecting off of the guitarist’s eyes. “Don’t forget about yourself, Maruyama-san. You are no different.”

“M-Me?” She felt her cheeks sizzle, and the idol was well aware it wasn’t the sunlight. “Aw, you really think so?”

“Yes, positive,” Sayo’s walking slowed even more somehow, the soft smile sent her way making her heart jump a little higher than Aya wanted to admit. “Speaking critically of course, your enthusiasm and natural idol charm is popular among the younger girls…”

Aya liked compliments yes, but to be praised so directly always felt like a new sensation. She wasn’t sure when she would ever get used to it. At least with her egosurfing she didn’t have to come up with a response on the spot. “I-I can’t believe I’m that popular-”

“Though most of your friends and band mates express more concern than anything else. I am very much in the same boat as them.”

“Ugh, I mean it’s true but why did you have to say that after telling me so many nice things!?”

The image of straight-laced Sayo laughing was something very new to Aya but she welcomed it nonetheless. They were walking past a sakura tree outside, the light fluttering through the branches set Sayo’s hair, the picture of a river itself, awash in a pink glow. It took all of her strength to not pull out her phone right at that moment.

“I apologize. I’ve heard many stories from Hina, so instinctively I just…” Aya was now convinced that the Hikawa twins really are identical twins that got separated at birth for a day or two. How else could two people be so different yet so alike at the same time? She was made fun of for not telling them apart properly, but who can blame her?

“Ah…” She stopped in her tracks, recognizing the area from an old memory surfacing. 

“Is there something wrong?”

“This, yeah it was this washroom.” Aya went inside her pocket, flourishing the item before its owner. Sayo’s eyes widened. 

“T-That handkerchief!” There was no mistaking it with the stars and suns on the cloth.

“You remember?” Aya cradled it in her palms, closing her eyes to recall as many details as possible. “Those days… It was important to me, every bit, even the parts that were a little sad.”

Sayo pushed through her stupor, downcasted eyes hinting that it was not as fond a memory for her as for Aya. “Yes, I remember them well.”

* * *

Two years of being an idol trainee ran her ragged enough in middle school. Aya was always told that she couldn’t be everywhere at once; couldn’t make time for everything in her life. She had to sacrifice something in the entertainment industry, whether it be family time or her studies. Aya, only being a middle schooler up until now, had little to be concerned about though; her idol career wasn’t taking off anytime soon, as her management discussed often.

Still, effort was her middle name. She put her all into not just idol work, but her studies, her relationships, and anything else sitting under the sun. It turned out to be true though, Aya couldn’t keep up with everything. Her status as a trainee spoke worlds in and of itself, her friends naturally drifted away, realizing that she wasn’t going to hit her boom anytime soon and she didn’t know where to start with her studies. 

Her resolve was crumbling with every passing day, every long night looking up at the Marmalade poster on the ceiling of her room that was gradually getting farther away.

But now, finally, Aya was in high school! That meant new opportunities! New friends! The time that every legendary idol hits it big! ...And it also meant more intense emphasis on studying, but she’d be fine as long as she passed! At least, she kept telling herself that since the morning.

Looking upon the building she could only admire from the middle school branch made her head spin. A whole new aura of intimidating washed over her, making her nerves act up. It was certainly a pretty sight; sakura trees lining the entrance. “Ah, I should post this up,” she said, a little too loud. It seemed no one recognized her, making her shoulders wilt just a bit along with the smile she forced up for the selfie. The picture still came out okay enough.

“Up to the blog you go… Super excited for my first day… Please keep supporting me,” her voice lowered just a fraction at the end. 

“Hey, look over there.” Aya’s head shot up from her phone, a reflex she unconsciously built in her first year of training. There were two girls a few ways away from here, whispering while looking in her direction. The pink girl whipped her head around, not seeing anyone else they could be talking about.

“U-Um, excuse me?” Aya called out, winning a little at their frozen stares. “Did you uh, want to ask me something?” The awkward atmosphere was almost suffocating. Aya trudged back slightly just to allow herself to breathe. “Or, w-was I mistaken?” 

One girl finally spoke up. “Ah, no. My friend thought she recognized you from somewhere that’s all.”

Aya’s little shard of hope gleamed like a star in her chest. “Oh, oh! Ah I, uh! I’m actually an idol trainee! S-So I might’ve shown up on a program or an interview! Are you a fan of any idols?”

The other girl was taken aback by her sudden rambling. “No, sorry. I’m not really into idols.” Aya visibly deflated. “B-But my older sister was watching this TV program one day! And someone did this really weird pose, like-”

Aya perked up immediately. “Oh! That was an old one from last year. I’ve got a brand new one, watch!” She took a calming breath, as her instructor suggested doing. Her tongue peeked out of her mouth with a wink, her arms up to her face forming a ‘W’ with her thumb and index fingers. “Rising idol star, it’s Maruyama Aya!”

The dead silence she was used to never sounded so painful. “I-I’m still working on my catchphrase!” Aya added, thinking maybe that would remedy the hopeless situation.

They darted their eyes around as students passing by looked at the strange sight. “O-Oh! That’s really… interesting! I’ve never seen anything like it, ever!” She nudged her friend with her elbow. “Y-Yeah, you’re going for the unconventional angle for idols, r-right? Good luck with that!”

Aya’s hands lowered, her excitement plummeting to the ground. “T-That’s uh…That’s not-”

“Well, um. Hey,” she was interrupted, “when you _do_ make it big someday don’t forget us, alright?”

“Huh? Eh? Uh, sure but-”

“Alright! See ya later then?” The two left before Aya could say anything more. The wind that carried the sakura petals away from the trees brought the leaving girls’ conversation to her ears, to which she desperately wished not to hear. 

“So should we chalk it up to two celebrities in our school now?” One girl taunted.

The other responded sharply. “Meh, let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”

Suddenly the crowd of people walking through the entrance grew and Aya felt like she was disappearing in the bustle. She was drowning in the waves of people who passed by her, and Aya began to run. To where, she wasn’t sure but anywhere but where she stood now seemed appropriate. As she felt the wet streaks on her face grow cold, she instinctively sought out the washroom.

The building was larger than she expected, but she couldn’t find it in her to go sight-seeing. The few students in the hallways barely noticed her pass through, only sparing a glance at best. Somehow that made the sick feeling in her stomach worse and she searched for the washroom ever more frantically. It was only after going through two flights of stairs to avoid the growing crowds of people flooding in did Aya realize she had no idea where the washroom was.

She found it eventually though, thankful to whatever deity that it was completely empty. Aya looked into the mirror, wincing at her the frown and watery eyes. As she washed her face down, Aya came to yet another realization. “I missed the entrance ceremony…” The splashing of the water became louder, as she desperately tried to mask her oncoming tears with it.

So much for her first step, well more like her first fumble, which may as well be a good foot forward for someone as clumsy as her. There was some kind of weight that was lifted off her, knowing that her horrible luck never abandoned her for a second. 

Aya pulled out her phone, seeing that her recent post had two comments, cheering her on. It wasn’t enough. She looked up her name and was met with mixed results. A few positive tweets, multiple critiques in her promotion programs, more comments on her lackluster singing ability and suffering adlib skills. After getting through the few comments and articles there, no other sites came up about her specifically. It became a mess of big name idols currently in and about to debut, successful, younger, popular. Chisato’s name came under a list of similar results.

“...Should I give up?” Aya’s words echoed in the washroom, worn with paint chipping away in the furthest corners of the space. Suddenly, she felt very, very tired; enough to think about lying down on the dirtied floor until who knows when.

The door clicked open before the temptation grew. 

Aya jerked her head away from the person coming in, whoever it was being very silent. The sink a few ways away from her began running and Aya tilted her head slightly, just enough to see the girl in her peripherals. 

Hair like a river, cascading down into a waterfall, pure of any waste. Eyes of jade with a darkness Aya had never seen in any girl her age, looking surprisingly sharp for the down-slanted shape they took. She forgot her place for a second and gripped her phone a little tighter, unable to pull her eyes away from a picture-perfect moment in the dingy washroom. 

Those eyes looked back at her and Aya stared back down to the sink, turning it on so she didn’t look suspicious.

“What are you staring for?” Too late for that. “Do you have some business with me?”

She turned her head to stare at the wall to her left, finding a particular spot very interesting. To say her voice was scary would be the absolute, biggest understatement of her lifetime. Or maybe she was just really on edge today? Either way, she had to be extremely careful. She had to be cool, calm, smooth, just like she practiced.

“U-Um, no! I wasn’t l-looking! I just thought-” Aya winced at her stuttering, frantically trying to collect herself. She squeezed her eyes shut, hoping that it would hold the waterworks back. “I-I’ll be gwoin-” The idol bit her tongue and her eyes shot back open again. “Ah! I-I mean going! Not gwoing! Um, I-” At some point, the tall, cool beauty strode over to her, now all the more intimidating.

“Stay still.”

In fear of getting hurt somehow, she screwed her eyes shut, arms in front of her as if in defense. The presence of a hand was felt in the air and sweat pooled in her palms. Aya began to relax, however, as she approached her slowly and carefully. The smell of rain was distinct and calming. A featherlight touch to the back of her head and the rain went away.

A pink petal stood between her teary eyes. “This was on you,” the girl explained. 

“T-Thank you.”

She looked at Aya with a judging stare, much like those producers and directors she would meet for the first time. The trainee looked down to her feet, fidgeting with her hands. “What are you doing here? We were required to attend the entrance ceremony.”

“Oh, I was…” Aya trailed off. What _was_ she doing? Running off because someone said she wouldn’t make it big? Hiding from the crowd of people? Crying her eyes out in the washroom because of her phone? All those reasons sounded so stupid, yet it was all true. She started crying again, and the fact that she was crying in front of some stranger made the feeling worse.

“I-I don’t know… I don’t know,” she repeated. That was all she could think to say; all she could say.

The silence once again was long and painful. Her sobs wracked at her body, letting out all the pain inside her in some form. She only felt worse realizing how awkward she was making the situation for the other girl. The cry felt long, but somehow, the girl stayed.

When Aya calmed down her sobs to silently running tears, a handkerchief was presented to her. The girl before her regarded her with eyes that Aya couldn’t read. And not just because she was bad at Japanese.

“Use this,” she said. Aya took it with muted lips. “You seem very emotional. I worry for you, honestly.”

“...Mm.” Now that was something she heard a lot. She dabbed at her cheek, preparing for an on-coming lecture.

“...You shouldn’t be so quick to sadness,” the student said, her eyes looked off to the side, towards the large mirror stretching across. “You’ve made it this far, haven’t you? Surely you have something… something to be working for.”

Aya took pause. The dark clouds lingered but drifted far enough away to reveal the blue sky much like the other girl’s hair. Such was the case as the pink girl recalled how quickly those two users commented on her recent post, how she was now a face on the internet to even have multiple articles in the first place, how people criticized her _because_ they saw her and wanted her to improve, and how she finally got recognized just a little bit in public. Most important of them all, how she was getting a little closer to Ayumi. Hidden behind her sadness was something to be happy about. Her ignorance led Aya to be blind to the one thing idols should treasure the most, her fans.

Heartache was given, but she couldn’t forget the good things that happened. She could stumble and fall and cry and there would still be something in that to keep her going.

“So, do your best.” 

Aya allowed those words to sink in and encapsulate her whole being. The washroom door creaked and shut with a thud that snapped Aya out of her head. “W-Wait…” she said to nothing. “...I never got to know your name.” She dabbed at her cheeks once more before noticing a very important thing.

“Ahh! I forgot to give back her handkerchief too!” Her streak of fumbles was still as relentless as ever. “...No! M-Maybe if I run now? Ah no, I’ll get in trouble for running in the halls…” The grip on the wet cloth tightened and Aya paused.

“O-Oh! Maybe she has her name on this?” Sure enough, a name was sewn on the corner of the sun-patterned gift, a name she would never forget.

“Hikawa Hina…” She had to get it back to her.

Aya was not a quitter. She would find this Hikawa Hina no matter what!

That was what she had been telling herself for the past few days, as well as her daily blog (the circumstances left unsaid but intentions said all the same). Sakura season was coming to an early end and still no trace of the blue haired student, none aside from her classmate that is, who was just as timid if not more than Aya herself.

Still, it was good to familiarize herself with the school. Aya found a few selfie hot-spots, although she was scared out of a place near the gym. How was she supposed to know that the kendo club would start shouting at the very moment she took a picture? “Still, this school looked a lot bigger before…” she said out loud, now not as intimidated as before.

“H-Hurry! Before she sees us!”

Aya stopped in her tracks as she recognized the voice. She turned around and there stood a tall girl with her friend; the very same from the entrance ceremony. The two speed-walked down the opposing hall, not noticing Aya from their panic. The trainee wondered what was so terrifying to them? Her body began to shake reflexively.

As if on cue, someone else appeared shortly after the two disappeared. Perhaps Aya’s luck was finally coming around, because right there observing the hallway with a stern face was the very same girl with the sky-blue hair.

The stars that hung in the night sky fell down through the gray clouds outside, flooding her vision with glittering lights. Aya almost cried in relief, if it wasn’t for the harsh glare that cut down her fantasies of their reunion and the scary armband Aya would also run from in panic back in her middle school days.

All the more reason to approach Hina right now.

“H-Hello!” She shouted, running over to her. A flicker of surprise before being wiped away a confused stare. “Hikawa-san, i-is it?”

“Don’t run in the halls.” Aya flinched back. Perhaps this was a bad idea; Hina definitely wasn’t in a good mood, or was this how she normally acts? Or was it because she didn’t recognize her? There were a number of reasons that were possible, so which was it?

The serious girl sighed in exasperation. “...Yes, we’ve met before. What business do you have with me?” It was the one possibility where she really did remember.

A small hope reignited along with something like doubt and Aya jumped a little, “Uh, hold on!” She fumbled with her skirt pockets, pulling out the now unfolded sun-patterned cloth Aya swore she folded before school today. “My name is Maruyama Aya! I-I wanted to give this back to you!” The wanna-be idol thrusted the item forward, head bowed.

The hall felt eerily quiet, Aya now realizing it was because all other students fled the area once catching sight of the disciplinary committee member. The silence between them was filled with the sounds of rustling branches and the wind blowing the petals off the trees. 

“Ah,” She stiffly took the handkerchief. “...You didn’t have to.”

“No no, I couldn’t! You were so kind to me after all.”

“K-Kind?” This was the most expression Aya had seen from her, albeit not much compared to most others. Strange for someone named after the sun, but Aya would not judge.

“Yes! To tell you the truth, I’m training to be an idol right now.” She wasn’t sure if it was smart to open up so much to someone she hardly knew, but Hina was definitely a kind person! Even if she was scary sometimes, if Aya was being honest. “I was losing confidence since I haven’t debuted yet, b-but I really felt a lot better after I met you!” 

“I didn’t really do anything… No need to exaggerate the matter. It was simple courtesy.” Hina almost looked a little sad, which confused her greatly. Why would she be so upset over a compliment?

Aya plowed onto the point of the matter. “I-If it wouldn’t be too much trouble,” she braced her body for her next words, heart pounding at a pace she thought it could only reach after her intense practice sessions. “C-Could we be friends? Hina-chan!”

Aya was not a person who could improvise. If something happened and it wasn’t planned, she froze up. Much was the same currently, where Hina’s face paled a striking white.

Oh, she used her first name. “Oh no! I-I didn’t mean, well I did but not now! I’m so sorry Hikawa-san! If you aren’t comfortable I’ll just go-”

“Sayo.”

“Huh?”

A name she hadn’t heard before. 

“My name isn’t Hina,” she bitterly spat out. “It’s Hikawa Sayo.”

A pause. “Eh?” The truth sank in. “Eeh!? B-B-But, huh? I- what?! Isn’t this y-yours!?” This was the worst kind of slip-up in the textbook, and Aya was _not_ good at studying by the book. Calling someone the wrong name was basically death to all following interactions. “I-I’m sorry! But how?!”

Sayo’s tone was grim, her face obscured behind her hair, head lowered. “My twin sister.”

Aya jumped onto the topic, latching onto it like a fish to… fish bait. She needed to work on metaphors with her vocal coach. “O-Oh! I see! I have a sister too! She’s a lot younger than me though, b-but she’s really sweet! Ahaha…”

Sayo’s mood only dampened, sending Aya’s mind into a frenzy. “...Do you two get along well?” The other girl asked.

Her arms moved wildly. “Y-Yes! We go out all the time!” She thought about it again. “Actually, only when I don’t have to go to the studio, but she’s super supportive of me! She’s always telling me that she’s my number one fan!”

Any more fluctuations in Sayo’s attitude was hidden as the girl turned her back to her, hair swishing from the motion beautifully. “The bell is about to ring. Excuse me.”

“Eh? Ah, um see you later!” Aya shouted. Sayo made no motion of acknowledgement, walking away at a brisk pace.

When Sayo was out of sight, Aya saw something on the ground. She picked up the dropped handkerchief, the cloth nearly flying away due to an open window. Aya held it up, now noticing that the back had stars across it instead of suns. Sayo’s name was nowhere to be found.

“Hikawa… Sayo, right? I wonder if I’ll be able to talk to her tomorrow?”

* * *

Aya took the pensive girl’s hand, placing the handkerchief there. Her approach was calm and careful, like she was a dog, still unfamiliar with humans. “Here. This is yours.”

Sayo let it sit. Aya felt a little warm now. She turned around towards the windows with the clear blue sky reaching on until forever. Aya fidgeted with the handle of one and cracked it open. The light breeze was nice on her face. Looking back at Sayo, the guitarist was still in stunned silence, words evading her entirely. “The weather is nice today, right?” The hand holding the cloth gripped onto the material at last and Sayo went to her side.

“...I wasn’t being a kind person.”

“Hm?” Aya tilted her head, facing Sayo properly, unlike how that same girl was now staring up at the sky.

“It was the first day I finally was in a different school than Hina. I saw you talking to those girls and you ran off. I didn’t do anything but watch.” The frown on her face deepened. Aya let her continue, sensing it’d be rude to interrupt. “...After the ceremony, it was a complete coincidence that the pink-haired girl I saw was in the same washroom that I was told the directions to.”

“So it was like that…”

A mute nod. “What I said may have been encouraging and I’m glad you took something away from it. Yet what good is it if I myself could not believe in those same words?”

No more came from her and the idol pondered over what was said. It was certainly a surprise that Sayo witnessed that ordeal, and Aya cringed; she saw that pose. But she was awful insistent that it was a coincidence. Sharing a class with such a non-straightforward straight forward person and being in a band with her all-too-blunt sister taught her a thing or two about the Hikawas, aside from how to tell them apart.

Still, if her life was a string of coincidences, even with all her efforts, it was just a matter of making the most of them when they did happen.

“What I think at least, is that it was more like fate than anything.” Aya poked the beauty beside her on the cheek and was almost jealous at how soft her skin was. “Or, were you actually trying to find me?”

“I-It’s coincidental. That’s all.” Aya kept poking, craving mochi suddenly. She should drop by that sweets shop she found. She should find out when Sayo is free. “M-Maruyama-san!”

“Hehe, okay okay, I understand.” Aya reluctantly pulled away. “Even if it was just a coincidence, it was a really good coincidence.”

“I just said-”

“I know. Maybe you’re right; maybe it was a little hypocritical. But it’s all just ‘maybes’ right?” Sayo was silent. “I don’t feel like you were a bad person. You really helped me with what you did and we’re here now. So it’s fine! You did your best anyways.” 

“I still treated you poorly. And I ignored you for the rest of the year. There’s no excuse for that,” she insisted, though Aya could hear her arguments wavering in tone.

“Sure, I didn't know what to do either. But everything worked out. No need to think so poorly about the past so much. There are good things that come from it. And besides,” Aya leaned her head onto Sayo’s shoulder. “If everything really went badly, I’d find a way to make sure we’d end up here again!”

For a long time, all that was heard was the wind. The idol thought she should probably step back, seeing that she might have made it awkward. Aya’s head remained still, not wanting to leave yet.

“...Thank you,” Sayo said, followed by nothing more than peace and quiet.

An announcement rang out. “Attention all students. The entrance ceremony is about to begin. Please head to the gym. Once again, all students…”

The pink girl finally lifted her head, upset at the loss of warmth. Her eyes drifted up to the taller girl, noticing both how red Sayo’s face was and a petal resting on her side-swept bangs. “Oh, hold still…”

“Huh? Maruya-”

Aya leaned forward, ever so slightly going tiptoed. The sensation of brushing against Sayo’s hair was more pleasant than she ever imagined. Aya wondered if this was what the Milky Way felt like; the starry river reaching on into infinity.

“There- uwah!” A blink and her wrist was in a firm grip, not to really hurt her but to keep her body close. Sayo’s silent stare into her eyes made her extremely embarrassed. The longer the pair of green jewels looked, the more her rapid heartbeat was being exposed. They were getting closer and Sayo was all she could see of the world.

“Are you serious!?”

“It’s true! I’m telling you!”

Nearby footsteps and distant gossip broke the spell in an instant. The two jumped back a foot each, profusely apologizing for everything and nothing. Sayo took out the handkerchief and patted her neck with it. Aya’s eyes followed the motion of it, her face once again combusting.

The voices disappeared as the students passed and entered another hallway. “W-We should get going… I was supposed to be at the gym before the announcement.”

Aya remembered how Rinko was to give her first big speech of the year. “Oh, s-sorry about that.”

Sayo began walking ahead at a quick pace. “Don’t apologize. Let’s go.”

Aya stared at her back for a moment, eyes shamelessly brightening at how red the guitarist’s ears were. She ran to catch up, clutching the petal between her fingertips. Aya briefly wondered how long sakura season would last, hoping the trees would be a bright pink and the sky a vast blue when Sayo and her could visit that sweets shop.

“Wait for me!” 

**Author's Note:**

> [twitter](https://twitter.com/sIRoDDbALLS) : yeah that's a thing if you want ship spam, wips never being done and me complaining about everything :DDDD (dont do this to yourselves).


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